A MAN who sparked a mid-air hijack drama and forced the closure of Bali’s international airport has broken his silence, telling the media that his actions were a “huge misunderstanding” after he suffered a panic attack and mistakenly banged on the cockpit door.

“I just want to say that this is a huge misunderstanding. I had a panic attack and I just wanna use the toilet and by accident I knocked on the cockpit door,” Matt Lockley said at Bali’s police headquarters.

“I want to say thank you to the Indonesian police and authorities, they have only followed procedure and they have provided me with a lot of care and support. I am very grateful for everything they have done. The Indonesian police and Government have been very helpful,” he said.

Lockley would not answer further questions.

Late on Sunday Indonesian civil aviation authorities said that Matt Christopher Lockley will not face Indonesian charges and he is now being handled by the Australian Consulate.

After seven hours of questioning yesterday by officials from Indonesia’s civil aviation authority it was announced he would not be charged in Indonesia with any criminal offence and would not face the country’s harsh laws.

It remains unclear whether he faces any charges or actions under Australian law but it is understood he is not being deported but will return voluntarily. Australian Federal Police have been informed about the case.

His return to Australia is being co-ordinated by the Australian Consulate and Virgin.

Several friends supported him at the police station and brought him pizza.

Lockley will fly back to Australia today on the airline where his actions caused a mid-air drama.

Authorities said Lockley will return to Australia on a Virgin flight.

He will not be charged in Indonesia and the case has been handed to the Australian Government and Australian Federal Police for any further action.

This is based on conventions that his actions occurred on an Australian owned airline and the carrier’s country investigates.

Wearing a crisp white shirt and dark pants and looking remarkably better than he did on Friday after his dramatic arrest, Lockley was brought from the hospital to the special crime section at police headquarters in Denpasar.

Quesions ... the results of drug and alcohol tests taken after Matt Lockley’s arrest areSource:Getty Images

He was questioned by investigators from the Civil Aviation directorate-general with Australian Consulate staff present.

Initial reports from authorities were that Lockley, 27, had been drunk and tried to get into the plane’s cockpit.

Lockley later told officials that he thought he was banging on the plane’s toilet door and that he had only drunk two cans of Coke and taken some painkillers.

t now seems increasingly likely that Lockley, who authorities said was coming to Bali looking for his Indonesian wife, will not face criminal charges over the incident and that he could be immediately deported home to Australia.

“Regarding the legal process, it will be conducted in Australia because what he did in that plane was within a plane registered in Australia,” Suryambodo Asmoro, Bali Police special crime director, said.

Mr Richardo said: “Under the Tokyo Convention 1963 the authority of the criminal law enforcement is in the country where the plane is registered. So we will investigate the motive and other things then we will co-ordinate with Immigration.”

Party time ... images from Matt Lockley’s Facebook page.Source:Supplied

Officials have now interviewed the pilot and cabin crew about Friday’s incident, which sparked a full hijack alert at the airport, which was closed and flights diverted as the drama unfolded.

Indonesian aviation officials are also looking into the circumstances surrounding the hijack alert.

Virgin Australia on Sunday released a statement saying: “The captain and crew ensured the highest level of safety was maintained on flight VA41 and followed standard operating procedures.”

Airport authorities initially said they received no communication from the plane for 30 minutes, forcing airforce officers to approach with caution.

However Virgin says its captain was in regular contact ahead of the landing.